Shock absorber



Patented Jan. 30, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT oEFlcE SHOCK ABSORBER Maurice Katz, Toulouse, France Application July 12, 1945, Serial No. 604,710 In France October 24, 1944 The present invention relates to improvements in and relating to shock absorbers as described in an earlier patent application filed on June 25, 1945, Serial No. 601,483.

The improved shock absorber structure of the present invention is particularly well adaptable to use in the landing gear of aircraft and comprises certain characteristic features which will appear from the following detailed description of the embodiment disclosed.

One form of ,a shockabsorber according to the present invention is shown by way of non-limitative example in the appended drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view, broken at two points, showing the shock absorber in the position of compression after an impact;

Figure 2 is a partial vertical sectional view showing certain parts of the shock absorber of Figure 1 in the positions occupied thereby after the shock absorber has expanded a predetermined amount following the braking of a compressing impact; and

Figure 3 is a View similar to Figure 2 showing the parts in fully expanded position.

The shock absorber essentially comprises a fixed part I fastened on the fuselage at 2, having the form of a pneumatic cylinder closed by a cap 3 and provided with a nipple, not shown in the drawing, for filling with oil and air, and a movable part 6 connected with the wheel at I and formed of a cylinder filled with liquid and closed by a bottom 8. A stuffing box I is interposed between the fixed and movable cylindrical parts I and 6 in order to insure air and liquid tightness. I v

An inner fitting II is fast with the lower end I2 of the element I, said fitting being provided with holes in which are located balls I3 the duty of which will be explained later on, as well as with a peripheral enlargement in the form ,of a diaphragm-piston I5 having a cylindrical piston portion I6 which slides on the inner surface of the element t. The diaphragm portion of element I5 is provided with a circumferentially arranged series of vertically extending holes I1. The tting II terminates at its lower end in a radially inwardly extending annular part I8; large openings or ports I9 being provided in the lower cylindrical portion of the fitting between the diaphragm I5 and the annular part I8.

A port controlling sleeve 2n is slidably mounted inside the cylindrical portion of the fitting II, said sleeve comprising a collar 2l at its upper end resting on a compression spring 22 which itself rests on the upper edge of the fitting II,

11 Claims. (Cl. 267-64) and, in its outer surface at a point intermediate its ends, a groove 23 which the balls I3 enter when the sleeve is in its lowermost position wherein it closes the openings I9. The sleeve 2U is also provided with a, plurality of radially inwardly extending spurs 24 at the lower end thereof.

A rod 25 fast with the bottom 8 of the movable part G passes thru the annular part I8 of the inner fitting II. At its upper end said rod is provided with a head 25 acting thru the medium of a compression spring 21 upon a bush 28 having an edge or collar 29, spring 22 being weaker than the spring 2l. Splines 3i! with a suitable profile are provided along the rod 25.

The splines 3@ form with the openings 35 in the lower end I2 of fixed part I a passage for the flow of oil which is of such cross section that the total reaction of the shock absorber follows a law which is a function of the stroke,

`allowance being made for variations of the displacement speed of the movable part.

'An annular disc 3| surrounds the cylindrical portion of fitting II just above the holes I'I of the diaphragm-piston I5 and is freely movable in a vertical direction in order to form a'valve.

Lastly, a profiled locking ring 32 is mounted with a tight t inside the cylinder I5 above the diaphragm-piston I5 and the disc 3I, the latter being free to move vertically between the upper surface of the diaphragm-piston and the lower edge of the inclined inner flange of the locking ring. The horizontal portion of profiled ring 32 is provided with a plurality of circumferentially arranged openings 33 which provide relatively free passage for the ow of oil into and out of an annular chamber 34 formed between parts I and E, theirstufiing-box I8 and ring 32. Openings 35 having a small section are provided in the lower part of element I in order to put the chamber 34 in communication with the chamber inside of element I thru restricted passages.

The device works in the following manner:

Before landing, when the shock absorber is completely expanded, the port controlling sleeve 2U occupies the position shown in Figure` 3 in which it is maintained in its lo-wer position by engagement of the collar 29 of bush 28 with spurs 24 and closes the openings I3, but is not locked by the balls E3. When the aircraft comes into contact with the ground, on landing, the element 6, which is fast with the wheel, slides telescopically with respect to element I and carries along thru friction, in its upward movement, the proled ring 3.2 whichin turn forces 6 away from element I.

the balls I3 into the groove 23, thus locking the sleeve 20 in port closing position, said sleeve being held stationary during the small part of the stroke necessary for said operation, i. e., while the balls I3 are being forced into the groove 23, thru the action of spring 21 which expands before the weaker spring 22.

The liquid contained in the chamber formed by the cylinder 6 passes thru'the hoes I1, raises the annular valve disc 3| and passes through the openings 33 into the chamber 34 from which it flows in a small quantity thru the openings 35 into cylinder I.

The principal throttling action which produces the reaction necessary for the shock absorber is effected thru the annular space providedbetween the rod 25 and the annular part I 8 of the diaphragm-piston I as well as thru the splines 30 provided along the rod, and continues during the whole duration of the shock of the landing.

When the landing shock has been damped an expansion begins and tends to push the e'ement The annular valve disc 3l rests against-the'piston I5 while closing the holes VI so that the oil conned'in the chamber 34v'can escape Ynow only'thru the openings 25; said oil, therefore, brakes the expansion. Whi'e moving away the element-5 carries with it the .proledring 32 thru friction so that, after a predetermined amount of the outward" or extending movement of the element 6, the balls I3 are released and move out of the groove v23 and the sleeve 28, which is no longer locked, Vraises under the action of its return spring 22, as shown in Figure 2, anduncovers theopenings I9. The latter establish a relatively free communication between the inside-of element 6 and the inside of element I :the liquid mass, thus-finding-a free passage, produces substantially no more reaction. --Since-the hydraulic element no longer intervenes, the reaction is chieiiy insured by the elastic element independent of thespeed. Thus, the

suspension is very iiexible.

When-the aircraft takes 01T, the shock absorber continues to expand progressively. At the end of the movement, the stop or colar 29 pulls on the spurs 24 in the bottom of the sleeveE!! which is thus returned tothe positionfor closing the openings I9, as shown in YFigure 3.

underthe action of all these forces combined with one another. Y

Moreover, various otherfmodications may be made in the device which vhas been described and shown by way of non-limitative example without departing from the scope; and spirit of the invention. Thus, the sleeve 20 could be pushed into the port opening position shown in Figure 2 by-any action other than that -of the spring 22, for example by gravity.

I claim:

1. A shock absorber particularly adaptable to use in the landing gear of aircraft comprising telescoping members and diaphragm means dividing the space enclosed by said members into communicating chambers-one of which is of variable volume and lled with liquid and an- -other which contains liquid and elastic cushioning means exerting a force on-said liquid and tending to extend said members, said diaphragm means having a substantially unrestricted liquid passage therethrough and also a restricted liquid passage therethrough, a valve member movable to a position restricting the now through said rst passage, means on one of said telescoping members engageable with means on said valve. member to move said valve member to flow restricting position when said telescoping members are fully extended, retaining means comprising a member movable bv one ofvsaid telescoping members into engagement with said valve member in its flow restricting position, on initial compression movement of said telescoping member from fully extended position for holding said valve member in said flow restricting position and out of engagement with said valve member on extending movement of said telescoping member, and means on one of said telescoping members for moving said valve member to non-restricting position when released by said retaining means, said first passage being thereby restricted throughout initial compression of said telescoping members and until after an 'extension of predetermined amount.

2. A shock absorber according to'claim 1, said `telescoping members forming afthird chamber of variable volume that is full of liquid, orifice means connecting said third chamber with said Vsecond 'mentioned chamber, and valve means vretaining means comprising'a member movable inwardly into interlocking engagement with a cooperating portion of said valve member, 'said interlocking parts being in registry'when said valve member is in flow restricting position but out of registry when said valve member is in nonrestricting position.

4. A shock absorber particularly adaptable to use in the landing gear of aircraft comprising t-l^scoping members. diaphragm means in one of said members, said diaphrag'm'means havingv an opening therethrough' providing a restricted liquid communication between the chambers on opposite Vsides of said diaphragm means, one of said chambers being of variable volume and filled with liquid and the other containing liquid and elastic cushioning means exerting a force on said liquid 'and tending to extend said members, said diaphragm means also having a substantially vunrestricted vliquid passagel therethrough, a normally open valve member for said passage, means on one of said telescopin-g members engageable with means on said valve' member to mover said valve member to closed position when said telescoping for retaining said valve member in closed position includingA a retaining member movable into engagement with a cooperating portion of said valve member, means engageabler with said retaining member and one of said telescoping members for moving said retaining member toward said valve member on compression 'movement' of 'said Vtelescoping member and for releasing said retaining member on extension movement of said telescoping memberjsaid retaining member and cooperating portion being is registry when said valve member is in Vclosed. position whereby said valve member is retained in closed position during compression of said telescoping members from fully of predetermined amount, and means on one of said telescoping members for' moving said valve member to its normally open position when said retaining member is released, thereby moving said cooperating portion out of registry with said retaining member.

5. A shock absorber according to claim 4, said telescoping members forming a third chamber of variable volume that is full of liquid, orifice means connecting said third chamber with said second mentioned chamber, and valve means controlling communication between said third chamber and said rst mentioned chamber, said Valve means closing on extending movement of said telescoping members.

6. A shock absorber according to claim 4, said means on one telescoping member engageable with means on said valve member comprising a compression spring, and said means for moving said valve member to its normally open position comprising a compression spring, said first mentioned spring being stronger then said second mentioned spring.

7. A shock absorber particularly adaptable to use in the landing gear of aircraft comprising telescoping members, diaphragm means fixed in one of said telescoping members and dividing the spa-ce enclosed by said members into a chamber above said diaphragm means which contains liquid and air under pressure and ay chamber below said diaphragm means which is filled with liquid, said diaphragm means havin-g a tubular central section and the other telescoping member having a rod movable through said tubular section and cooperating therewith to provide restricted liquid iiow between said chambers, said tubular section also having a port for substantially unrestricted liquid flow between said chambers, a sleeve member movable between said rod and tubular section, means carried by said rod and engageable with said sleeve member for moving it downwardly to port closing position when said rod and its associated telescoping member move downwardly to fully extended position, cooperating retaining means carried by said tubular section and sleeve ing means being movable into such engagement by said associated telescoping member on upward movement thereof from its fully extended position during compression and being released by downward extending movement of said associated telescoping member, and means on one of said telescoping members for moving said sleeve member upwardly to port opening position when so released.

8. A shock absorber according to claim 7, Said retaining means comprising a locking member carried by said tubular section which is movable radially into engagement with a cooperating recess in said sleeve member.

9. A shock absorber according to claim 8, including an actuating device having frictional sliding engagement with said associated telescoping member and an inclined surface for moving said locking member radially.

10. A shock absorber according to claim 7, said means for moving said sleeve member upwardly to port closing position comprising a spring interposed between said sleeve member and said diaphragm means.

11. A shock absorber according to claim 10, comprising a second Spring interposed between said rod and sleeve member for moving the latter downwardly to port closing position, said second mentioned spring being stronger than the firstv mentioned spring.

MAURICE KATZ.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

